The Miscellaneous Thought Thread

[PiratesMansion]

It used to be better. When I rode it several weeks ago I was shocked at how far it had been allowed to deteriorate.

At this point I can’t think of a single ride shared by both coasts that’s better at WDW. A few are equal, like Jungle Cruise and HM, but most are either not as good (but still excellent) or just plain terrible (Tomorrowland Speedway).

I have to admit, though, I do love how terrifying MK’s Space Mountain is… though not exactly in a good way.

I'd definitively put HM down as a win for WDW, as I would Jungle Cruise. Not to say that the DL versions are bad, I just prefer the Florida version (FAR prefer, in the case of Mansion).

Not a RIDE, but WDW also has a far better Tom Sawyer Island.

MK's Space Mountain is VERY underrated IMO. People don't like it because it's more of a "real" roller coaster than most of what else Disney's put out and it's hardly maintained well, but I love it. Fantastic ejector airtime too!

 

[Dear Prudence]

Head over to MK’s Splash thread. An entire mess.

*sign of the cross

*salutes

 

[Californian Elitist]

It used to be better. When I rode it several weeks ago I was shocked at how far it had been allowed to deteriorate.

At this point I can’t think of a single ride shared by both coasts that’s better at WDW. A few are equal, like Jungle Cruise and HM, but most are either not as good (but still excellent) or just plain terrible (Tomorrowland Speedway).

I have to admit, though, I do love how terrifying MK’s Space Mountain is… though not exactly in a good way.

I haven’t been on many MK rides, but their Mansion is the only ride I experienced that I felt was seriously worth my time waiting in line (that queue tho… I’m not a fan). I still prefer ours, but only by a smidge. For the most part, I call it a wash.

 

[Californian Elitist]

*sign of the cross

*salutes

Throw in 10 Hail Mary’s!

 

[Rich T]

I'd definitively put HM down as a win for WDW, as I would Jungle Cruise. Not to say that the DL versions are bad, I just prefer the Florida version (FAR prefer, in the case of Mansion).

Not a RIDE, but WDW also has a far better Tom Sawyer Island.

MK's Space Mountain is VERY underrated IMO. People don't like it because it's more of a "real" roller coaster than most of what else Disney's put out and it's hardly maintained well, but I love it. Fantastic ejector airtime too!

I don’t like the way guests enter HM at MK or the abrupt and unimaginative load room, but it’s close for me; still a fantastic ride…. With it’s own well-themed stand-alone shop nearby! Extra points for that.

I love the JC’s temple at MK, but I think DL’s Elephant pool has a much better reveal and staging. The pool’s one my favorite things in all of DL, so that tips it to DL’s version for me. And, for some reason, MK’s JC always has an insane wait. I finally had to ropedrop it.

TSI has the fort…and the bird in the mill… and a really creepy IJ’s Cave. But it feels like a manicured park. Still, it is better than Pirate’s Cove.

I still think DL has the all-around best Space Mountain, BUT MK’s Space Mtn. is gloriously ridiculous, and I love it. As you said, great airtime (four drops, I think?). It’s the landing back in the seat I don’t care for. I don’t think I’ve ever said “OW!” so many times on a ride ever before. And it’s wonderfully dark since the refurb. Loved the back seat, but sitting in front, with nearly nothing between you and the void, is one of the scariest coaster experiences ever! It’s rough, it’s insane, and I absolutely adore it.

 

[Rich T]

Who here would eat a woolly mammoth steak or burger? Or a T. rex sandwich?

I’d have to read the reviews first.

 

[PiratesMansion]

I don’t like the way guests enter HM at MK or the abrupt and unimaginative load room, but it’s close for me; still a fantastic ride…. With it’s own well-themed stand-alone shop nearby! Extra points for that.

I love the JC’s temple at MK, but I think DL’s Elephant pool has a much better reveal and staging. The pool’s one my favorite things in all of DL, so that tips it to DL’s version for me. And, for some reason, MK’s JC always has an insane wait. I finally had to ropedrop it.

TSI has the fort…and the bird in the mill… and a really creepy IJ’s Cave. But it feels like a manicured park. Still, it is better than Pirate’s Cove.

I still think DL has the all-around best Space Mountain, BUT MK’s Space Mtn. is gloriously ridiculous, and I love it. As you said, great airtime (four drops, I think?). It’s the landing back in the seat I don’t care for. I don’t think I’ve ever said “OW!” so many times on a ride ever before. And it’s wonderfully dark since the refurb. Loved the back seat, but sitting in front, with nearly nothing between you and the void, is one of the scariest coaster experiences ever! It’s rough, it’s insane, and I absolutely adore it.

I love the Mansion shop! But then it makes sense that they would carve out a shop for it over there, because it really does feel like the resort and the guests love it in a way that just isn't the case in California. There are some days where I truly believe that if DLR thought for a second they could get away with HMH all year round, they'd do it and throw away the original Mansion without a second thought. By comparison, the Florida Mansion feels much more appreciated.

I actually am to the point where I prefer the MK load area. True, there's nothing special about it, and it has that annoying pinch point. On paper, DL's load area should bury it. However, it is WAY too bright in the DL loading area most of the time, and my eyes go directly to the clearly visible black walls and massive expanse of nothingness. It ceases to be a house or a limbo of boundless mist and decay and is revealed plainly to be a giant, ugly warehouse. MK's load is plain, but doesn't distract in the same way.

For me the temple gives the Jungle Cruise a sense of payoff, whereas DL's just ends-the piranhas were an attempt but don't really give the show a satisfying end note IMO.

The back seat of FL's Space Mountain is my favorite seat on a Disney roller coaster. Wonderfully insane airtime that hits all the more because it's so unexpected.

 

[Californian Elitist]

I’d have to read the reviews first.

So you’d be open to it. Interesting.

 

[TwilightZone]

So you’d be open to it. Interesting.

To be fair, flinstones made it look really delicious

 

[Rich T]

So you’d be open to it. Interesting.

I wouldn’t rule it out. IF it had already happened. But I would not be in favor of developing that technology for the sole purpose of farming novelty meat sources in the first place. I guess… I’d be interested only if there was a big enough buffer between the proposal and Five Guys Brontoburger that I could check it out without feeling guilty or imagining Jeff Goldman glaring at me in disgust.

 

[Californian Elitist]

I wouldn’t rule it out. IF it had already happened. But I would not be in favor of developing that technology for the sole purpose of farming novelty meat sources in the first place. I guess… I’d be interested only if there was a big enough buffer between the proposal and Five Guys Brontoburger that I could check it out without feeling guilty or imagining Jeff Goldman glaring at me in disgust.

That’s how I feel. I’d be open to eating it if they had never gone extinct and humans were already eating them. However, I wouldn’t eat meat from any animal that was scientifically created, including cloned animals that are not extinct. Definitely not eating any kind of meat from a regenerated extinct animal. I’d go vegetarian/vegan first.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Since we’re on the topic, I’m of the opinion that if any extinct animal should be scientifically resurrected, it should be the dodo, not a dinosaur or saber-toothed tiger.

Who here would eat a woolly mammoth steak or burger? Or a T. rex sandwich? A professor brought this question up in a class I was presenting in. They were talking about the ethics of scientifically resurrecting extinct animals.

Alligator is pretty tasty, so I’d give T-Rex a taste. Although brining anything back that can also eat me is a bit worrisome.

In all seriousness, I don’t like the idea of resurrecting any species. I don’t think the ecological impacts can fully be understood. These animals lived in a different world. We already have issues with species being introduced places and becoming invasive, even timid animals like rabbits in Australia. Even as someone who appreciates good zoos, bringing them back just to live in captivity seems wrong.

 

[Practical Pig]

Or a T. rex sandwich?

I eat chicken sandwiches, and chickens are related to T-rex. I imagine T-rex would taste somewhere in the poultry range. Maybe more like duck? But I think trying to build a sustainable ranching agriculture for T-rex meat would be fraught with peril.

I may be mostly posting to just to use "fraught with peril" in a sentence. It's been a long time.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Alligator is pretty tasty, so I’d give T-Rex a taste. Although brining anything back that can also eat me is a bit worrisome.

In all seriousness, I don’t like the idea of resurrecting any species. I don’t think the ecological impacts can fully be understood. These animals lived in a different world. We already have issues with species being introduced places and becoming invasive, even timid animals like rabbits in Australia. Even as someone who appreciates good zoos, bringing them back just to live in captivity seems wrong.

I’ve actually never had alligator before. I’ve never seen it on a menu here in Los Angeles, or anywhere I’ve traveled to (I need to get to Louisiana). I’d be willing to try it.

100% agree with the latter part of your post. I think if anything should be brought back, it should be an animal that has very recently gone extinct. And even then, I still don’t believe any animal should be brought back. As you stated, the earth in its current state wouldn’t even be able to support many of the extinct animals, like the woolly mammoth. Instead, we should focus on the animals that are still here, or use whatever money these scientists are using to attempt to bring back extinct animals on something more useful and relevant to current environmental issues.

I eat chicken sandwiches, and chickens are related to T-rex. I imagine T-rex would taste somewhere in the poultry range. Maybe more like duck? But I think trying to build a sustainable ranching agriculture for T-rex meat would be fraught with peril.

I may be mostly posting to just to use "fraught with peril" in a sentence. It's been a long time.

I have a feeling it would taste like duck. I don’t know where this feeling is coming from, but it just seems like it would be duck-like. We’ll likely never know. Peril, indeed. I wouldn’t touch it.

 

[Parteecia]

I’ve actually never had alligator before. I’ve never seen it on a menu here in Los Angeles, or anywhere I’ve traveled to (I need to get to Louisiana). I’d be willing to try it

Pappadeaux, mostly in Texas but restaurants in other states too. My boyfriend loved it. He would try most any food. I am not as adventurous. Dodo, though...

 

[Dear Prudence]

Throw in 10 Hail Mary’s!

Look, I said I was gonna stay away until after audition season, but I could not let the nonsense stand

 

[Californian Elitist]

Pappadeaux, mostly in Texas but restaurants in other states too. My boyfriend loved it. He would try most any food. I am not as adventurous. Dodo, though...

My family tried Pappadeaux’s in Arizona and really enjoyed the food. Would definitely be up for eating there.

 

[Centauri Space Station]

As long as MK still has the Peoplemover and COP they still have that over DL i guess but WDW does have a few I think are better.
Winnie the Pooh is better at MK compared to DL. The treehouse was better but we will see when DLs opens if that’s the case. Mickeys Phillarmagic is better with the better queue and theater that doesn’t feel shoehorned in. Little mermaid has the better queue but same ride.
Astro Orbitor is definitely better at MK being up top.
Jungle, HM, and TSI I would say are better but all subjective. Also the riverboat still has the out in wilderness feeling no longer at DLs.

 

[PiratesMansion]

As long as MK still has the Peoplemover and COP they still have that over DL i guess but WDW does have a few I think are better.
Winnie the Pooh is better at MK compared to DL. The treehouse was better but we will see when DLs opens if that’s the case. Mickeys Phillarmagic is better with the better queue and theater that doesn’t feel shoehorned in. Little mermaid has the better queue but same ride.
Astro Orbitor is definitely better at MK being up top.
Jungle, HM, and TSI I would say are better but all subjective. Also the riverboat still has the out in wilderness feeling no longer at DLs.

All valid points.

I do think a lot of the things that are better at WDW, other than Splash Mountain, are things that are easy to ignore and the sorts of things you wouldn't do every visit if you were a local. It took me a few visits to get around to their TSI, their riverboat, etc. They're right there for the most part, things that often require little to no wait or action on the part of the guest, but they're not shiny headliners and so they're easily ignored.

A lot of these less-obvious attractions DO address a lot of complaints I've seen over the years about DLR's attractions-TSI really is still TSI with no awful pirates overlay! The WDW ROA still has the long and secluded route that people purport to miss about the DL ROA! The Swiss Family Treehouse is still there untouched in its original glory! But, alas, attractions like that'll never get their due. They're not perceived as being a valuable use of people's time despite being a lot of the very sorts of things people purport to appreciate about Disney parks over others.

It's sort of the perfect storm that the things MK is best at (and WDW as a whole, by extension) are the sorts of things that are likely to be missed unless you specifically seek them out. Part of that is on WDW for failing to build additional attractions and capacity, while also removing many of the attractions at MK that were better than DL's and/or couldn't be ported over very easily (Mr. Toad, 20,000 Leagues, etc).

That said, I feel like part of it too is that many people who are accustomed to doing DLR fail to consider WDW on its own terms and thus fail to appreciate the resort. WDW is not perfect-far from it-but it is the resort WORST served by being toured exactly the way that one tours DLR. To do so tends to immediately reveal WDW's flaws while doing little to illuminate its strengths. There's so much there worth seeking out that's not at all obvious if you don't know to look for it.

Again, a lot of this is on TDO and their terrible decision-making skills. But some of it is on people who march over to Florida, treat the place exactly the same way as they treat DLR, have internalized expectations about how a Disney resort is run (and how they've read over and over again online that WDW ain't it) and what is to be valued at Disney parks, and then find the Florida complex to be unsatisfying-a situation they in part created by assuming that WDW really is just DLR with the enlarge button jammed.

 

[Dear Prudence]

What it's like being a Disney fan in 2022